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The same basic bedding strategy will work for both stiff and flexible keyframes. Whatever the starting point, once one glidebolt connects with keybed, bed the rest neighbor-by-neighbor advancing and retreating each to touch...
Christopher Brown |
The flexible keyframe is slightly lighter built and less taut than the stiff keyframe. "Stiff" describes a construction that resists collapse. With keyframe fully loaded, glidebolts can be retracted so that none...
Christopher Brown |
I'd like to briefly look again at where keyframe meets keybed. It's the foundation of our regulating, but because not much of what's at play can actually be seen or directly accessed, we are...
Christopher Brown |
Bedding and Action Elevations: Two requests for further thoughts came in this week: David Skolnick on "special problems created by a ‘collapsed’ rigid frame" and Alan Eder on "how to determine whether...
Christopher Brown |
Bedding the Balancerail: There are three principal styles of grand keyframe balancerail - the stiff, Steinway/Mason & Hamlin style supported by adjustable glidebolts, the more flexible Asian style with glidebolts...
Christopher Brown |
Bedding the Frontrail: So far, we have a clean keybed, an action with shanks off rest cushions and no excessive friction, screws not loose and no deal-breaking need for repairs,...
Christopher Brown |
Bedding the Backrail: How to proceed when a backrail tests positive for a gap? So far, with no excessive friction or need for repairs, the action has stayed together. Maybe it...
Christopher Brown |
Testing the Backrail Fit: With action fully assembled, keybed clean, spring out, cheekblocks bedded, and glidebolts off keybed, reach through dampers, strings, and action parts with a long screwdriver (or...
Christopher Brown |
Hidden Glidebolts: Not all glidebolts show. Unless you are familiar with the make and model of a grand piano, it might be worth the extra effort to pull the action...
Christopher Brown |
Bedding the Cheekblocks: What are the functions of a cheekblock? In a Steinway grand, a cheekblock provides three important services: positioning the action in-and-out for tone, side-to-side for soft-pedal shifting, and up-and-down to complete...
Christopher Brown |
How Flat is the Keybed? At the piano, with its action out and keybed clean, apply the flat side of your straightedge to the keybed's front, balance, and back rails for...
Christopher Brown |
Shape of the Keybed: Bedding is the foundation of a grand regulation and piano manufacturers put a lot of effort into providing a flat, stable surface on which to construct this...
Christopher Brown |
Concerning Dags and the Return Spring: First, consider the dag at the back of the keybed (pronounced dog, as in bench dog, thank you David Hughes). Blue painter's tape (useful for...
Christopher Brown |